Jātaka Tales 236

This verse is not included in this edition.

Baka-Jātaka

“See that twice-born bird,” etc.—This story the Master told while staying in Jetavana, about a hypocrite. When he was brought before the Master, the Master said, “Brethren, he was a hypocrite of old just as he is now,” and told the following story.

This verse is not included in this edition.

oat ha it

This verse is not included in this edition.

Once on a time, when Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta became a Fish in a certain pond in the Himalaya region, and a great shoal went with him. Now a Crane desired to eat the fish. So in a place near the pond he drooped his head, and spread out his wings, and looked vacantly, vacantly at the fish, waiting till they were off their guard', At the same moment the Bodhisatta with his shoal came to that place in search of food. And the shoal of fish on seeing the crane uttered the first stanza:—

Bakajātaka

“Bhaddako vatayaṁ pakkhī, dijo kumudasannibho; Vūpasantehi pakkhehi, mandamandova jhāyati”.

“See that twice-born bird, how white— Like a water-lily seeming; Wings outspread to left and right— Oh, how pious! dreaming, dreaming”

This verse is not included in this edition.

Then the Bodhisatta looked, and uttered the second stanza:—

“Nāssa sīlaṁ vijānātha, anaññāya pasaṁsatha; Amhe dijo na pāleti, tena pakkhī na phandatī”ti.

““What he is ye do not know, Or you would not sing his praises. He is our most treacherous foe; That is why no wing he raises.”

This verse is not included in this edition.

Thereupon the fish splashed in the water and drove the crane away.

This verse is not included in this edition.

When this discourse was ended, the Master identified the Birth:—‘This hypocrite was the Crane, and I was the chief of the shoal of fish.”